The Silence Before the Cucco's Crow
by Serene-Moon-Princess
Summary: To think that all this was started by a simple mistake. I could have avoided all of this. I could have lived the rest of my life in his intoxicating lies. Link x Zelda Oneshot


**A/N:  
****Hey, guys! Well this is a little one shot to help me get writing my other story. I was suffering from some writer's block and writing random one shots always seems to help. :) This is definitely no where near being the best thing I've ever written, but I hope it's readable.**

**I hope that you enjoy this little fic, tell me what you think. I LOVE reviews! ;) Criticism is always great too, so please complain away or adorn me with praise. Either works. :P**

**The Silence Before the Cucco's Crow**

I held on tightly to my sides, falling to my knees on the balcony connected to my room. The tears that were threatening to fall, I hardly tried to hold back. The wind was upsetting my golden hair into my face like whips. Actually, it may have started to rain, but I could no longer tell what was happening. My eyes were too flooded by tears. My body was too numb. Everything seemed like a blur, a haze. I was on the edge, only hanging on by a thread.

This had been my life for the past few days. I say few because I could no longer remember the date. Time was only a man made thing, it wasn't as if it mattered in the first place. If time didn't matter, then in my mind, neither did sleep, but even if I had wanted to sleep I wouldn't have reached a state calm enough to lie down. I hadn't eaten in a while, nor did I accept any visitors. The only person I allowed in my room was Impa, and I didn't even talk to her. I had been unable to speak - not unwilling - unable. Anything and everything that came out of my mouth was a sob. The closest sound I made to a word was, "L-l-l." And it was stuttered in between gasps.

To think that all this was started by a simple mistake. I could have avoided all of this. I could have lived the rest of my life in his intoxicating lies. But I - I was not that lucky. I had assumed too much. Maybe the goddesses were making me pay for my thoughts that everything would continue to be perfect forever. That was probably the case. It couldn't really be that…that….

Suddenly, a powerful tremor coursed through my body. From my position on my knees I fell to my side. I tried to think of something pleasant. Something that would take my mind from the pain, but everything that I tried to think of included him. All I wanted to do was get away from the powerful grip he held on me, but I felt completely shattered. I was so torn that I could no longer hear my own heart beat. I could no longer feel warmth in my body.

A few days ago, I forgot who I was.

**.-:!i!:-..-:!i!:-..-:!i!:-.**

"Link!" I shouted happily, waving my arms eagerly as Link trotted up the path from Hyrule Town on Epona. His golden blonde locks were shimmering in the sun, his green tunic familiarly worn and dirty. On his face was a wide smile. It was the smile I had longed to see in his three week absence.

"Ah, is that my Goddess I hear?" Link shouted back to me. He dismounted Epona only to sprint to me and pick me up in his muscular arms. I giggled as he spun us around in circles before falling into the grass in front of the castle's drawbridge. I fell beside him, landing lightly, because he kept his arms around me, ensuring I didn't hurt myself. His lips found mine as we laid sprawled across the emerald green ground.

"Ah, Link, I missed you so!" I breathed as I let my head rest on his chest. He was warm and smelled of the outdoors; a fresh scent. Yes, this was the man I had fallen head over heels in love with.

Link's fingers began to play in my hair absently while he spoke to me. "As did I, my princess. While I saw many women in my journeys, none of them compared to your beauty."

I smiled into Link's chest. These were the words that he always spoke so sincerely, so lovingly. I loved him, and never wanted to let him go again, although it was inevitable. The time we shared was always sparse. Link was busy doing much for my father and the kingdom of Hyrule. I had noticed lately that Link was spending more time in the castle, doing things for my father, I was guessing, than doing things outside of the castle. When Link was outside of the castle he was always gone for long periods of time, but, of course, who wouldn't when they had to go through the trials Link had to endure?

"Zelda?" Link asked, snapping me from my thoughts. His fingers were resting under my chin, pushing my head upwards.

I giggled as I replied, "Yes?" My eyes looked up to meet Link's cerulean blue eyes. As I stared into them I noticed that his irises were bright blue on the outer edges, and as they neared his pupil, they darkened. His eyes were the most beautiful in Hyrule.

"I love you." Link whispered, pressing his lips once more against mine.

I shivered in excitement, as I always did, when we kissed. It was such an exciting feeling. Link was the only person that had ever made me feel so alive. When we were together I felt like a goddess, just as he said I was. When our kiss ended, Link helped me to my feet and explained that he had to leave. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and I watched as he rode off towards Hyrule Town.

For the rest of the day I waited for Link to return. I never asked what he had to do. He had so many things to do that I didn't like wasting his time asking. Maybe if I had been smart I would have asked, but I had faith in Link. I never imagined that our - my - happiness could be destroyed so easily.

It all began as I was walking to the servant's chambers to ask if any of them had seen Impa. I requested her presence, but no one had seen her. As I walked softly down the long corridor I suddenly heard an angelic voice. It was the deep, masculine voice that I loved so much. Link was here!

My feet sped up on their own at the sound of Link's voice. I hurried to the room I had heard Link's voice come from and I planned a sneak attack, but as the door to the room opened without a sound I found my greatest nightmare. Link was standing with a petite woman, one of the servants I think, wrapped in his arms, kissing her lips tenderly. He murmured repeatedly that he loved her. The maid's hands were grasping at the back of Link's tunic hungrily. If I had gotten here any later, who knows what condition the two would have been in.

I was personally so shocked that I couldn't speak. My mouth was covered by my hand which was struggling to keep back the scream that was building up in my lungs.

"I promise, as soon as Zelda is tired of my constant absence, I will be at your side for eternity," Link moaned into the woman's lips. She laughed, a seductive laugh, contently in reply.

The scream I had been holding back fell out of my mouth by itself. Link, and the woman he was with, suddenly released each other, both staring wide-eyed at me. First I gasped at the high-pitched shriek that I had frightened even myself with, but the sudden urgency of the situation fell onto me. I sobbed once, and then ran out the door. My dress prevented me from running very quickly and I found myself being pulled back by a strong, familiar hand. I was turned around, and the same hand forced my head up to look at my captor.

"NO!" I screamed, not looking at who I already knew was standing before me. If I looked into his eyes I knew that I would fall apart even further apart. Right now, I would not let Link see me fall apart. Not for a fool like him. Instead, I smiled and looked down at my feet, trying to regain my composure.

"Zelda," Link said sternly, "I…I don't have any excuse. You saw what was going on. For future reference, I want you to know something." Here, Link forced my head up and I looked into his eyes. I wasn't sure what message my eyes were projecting, but I knew there was hurt there. The thing I didn't want him to see. He cringed though, or at least I thought I saw him cringe, and then he spoke once more. "Zelda, all those times I said I love you…I never meant them."

I smiled, looking away quickly, and replied, "I know." Then I pushed Link off of me, walking away from him. When I had walked far enough so that I knew he could no longer see me, I sprinted for my room.

This was a nightmare.

And that it was.

I woke with a start, shivering. My eyes forced themselves open and I found that I was still lying on the wet ground of my balcony. A figure was looming over me, I couldn't tell who it was, my eyes were too blurred, but nonetheless, they scooped me up into their thin arms. A low moan escaped my throat and I began to sob weakly. Everything was falling apart. But why was it falling apart on me?

Suddenly I was set down before my vanity and I gasped at the reflection I could make out in the mirror. My eyes were red and sunken in and my skin was so pale I no longer looked human. I could also make out that my hair was matted and soaked. The usual bright blue of my eyes were dull, almost grey. The reflection I saw only made me cry harder.

"Zelda, please, for a moment stop crying," Impa's voice pleaded softly. Her voice was full of remorse.

"I can't!" I hoarsely choked out. "This is all I know how to do." I stood from the vanity, only to fall to the floor again. Once more, I felt no pain. The sound of my body falling against the wooden floor sounded more painful than it had felt. My fingers grasped for something, anything that could feel warmth, pain, something that would remind me that I was still alive. That I really wasn't dead; that this was actually my nightmare. I felt nothing though. I wouldn't wake up from this nightmare. Already, I had fallen too far into this trap, and I couldn't see anyway of escaping.

There was no heaven that I could make it to. The goddesses had to look down upon my weak soul, or what was left of it. No one with such a broken and scattered soul was meant to find happiness in an afterworld. Not even Hell was waiting for me with open arms. I was forsaken by all.

I felt Impa's arms wrap around me once more and she lifted me up. She carried me to my bed where she sat down and placed me in her usually warm lap. "Link came back to the castle today," Impa began, rubbing my arms slowly as my head fell back onto her shoulder. I was more or less just the shell of a human.

"I don't…" I gasped for air in between words and sobs, "…I don't care."

Impa looked down into my spiritless eyes, frowning. "He found you, you know. While you were sleeping."

"Why should I care?" It took the rest of my strength to roll myself off of Impa's lap. I laid on my bed curled up in a ball, no longer able to cry tears so I only made strange noises. My chest was aching every time I took in another gasp or let out another sob.

"Because he was barely holding onto his own life when he found you." Impa said, her voice rising in volume. "He risked his life for you, and only to find you in a sniveling heap on the balcony."

And that set me on fire. I sat up with a sudden boost of energy. "Do you _know_ what he did? Do you _know_ what hells he has put me through? And now he dares to act like nothing ever happened?" I stared at Impa, suddenly able to cry again. Tears rolled down my raw cheeks. "I _hate _him. I hate Link. I hate ever bit of his being!"

I grabbed up my pillow, pushing it into my face, falling backward and weeping harder now than ever. I was ashamed of myself. Here I was, crying over the person I now hated more than the greatest evils. Yes, it was true. I was weak. I'd even go as far to say that I was somewhat a hypocrite, because even though I said I hated Link, I still loved him. Part of me was wishing that Impa was telling me something good. Her words were making me think that maybe Link actually loved me. Really, I didn't want that. I wanted Link to hate me, too. I wanted him to never return here. I wanted to forget him forever. If only I was that lucky.

Impa was silent for a moment. She seemed to be choosing her words cautiously. "Zelda, I know what happened. Actually, I know more than you do."

I removed my head from my pillow to look up at Impa. She was silent, looking toward her knees as I tried to catch her eyes. There was something she was trying to avoid bringing up about Link. I began to ask her what she had been about to say, but the door to my room busted open. I saw only hair. Golden blonde, silky, beautiful hair. Before I saw anything else I shut my eyes.

Suddenly, I felt Impa stand. I heard her footsteps travel across the room and then my door shut softly. I opened my eyes once more and saw that Link was standing before me. His crystal blue eyes stared into mine. They were still beautiful, but something was wrong with them. They looked dull. I had seen eyes like his new eyes in my own mirror, on my own face. He was battered and bruised, cuts and scrapes covered his body and he wasn't wearing his green tunic.

"So," I breathed, getting caught up in my own hopes, "this is a nightmare, right? You're here to break me again?" Link had to be a dream. This whole thing had to be a nightmare. What else could this be? My Link was not some lying fool. When I woke up I would tell him about it. He would laugh at me for thinking such nonsense, and when I began crying, he would kiss me like always and tell me he loved me. That was my Link. Caring. Thoughtful.

"The man before you is real, Zelda," Link whispered. There was deep guilt in his eyes. "This is no nightmare, but even I wish of that." He knelt down in front of my bed. He was at eye level with me now, and my head was too heavy to turn away. I just stared at Link.

"If this was a dream - a good dream - then I wouldn't feel so horrid. You can't be real," I whispered hoarsely. "Link would only come back to me in a dream."

The look on Link's face caused pain to sear through me. He looked like he felt worthless. The guilt on his face was so apparent. I almost began to cry again as his hands cupped my face softly.

"Zelda, what have I done to you?" He was asking, not hypothetically, but he actually wanted an answer from me. He actually wanted to know what damage he had done to me. "If I caused you to be in this state of being, then I must be some type of monster."

My eyes must have shown an enormous amount of hurt because Link dropped his head and hands before I even began to speak. "It's an understatement to say that I fell apart," I began, clutching the sheets of my bed, "and then the numbness began to set in. I no longer felt or remembered anything. No longer did I care for my health, so I stopped eating, I stopped socializing with people. Sleep was practically nonexistent. When I closed my eyes, it was you I saw, and when I managed to unwilling fall into a light sleep, I would wake almost immediately because the day you left me keeps replaying in my mind as a nightmare."

Link's head was still low. I curled up into a ball on my side, shivering and whimpering. "Just so you know, Princess," Link murmured, "I can understand why you would hate me. After telling you that I didn't love you…being with that wretched woman…I don't even deserve to be seeing you here today."

For now I stayed silent. Where Link was going with this I didn't know. He had already caused the damage. There was no way I wanted to go through that hell again. Once more I closed my eyes tightly, trying to stop the tears that were falling. This was not what I wanted Link to be doing. I didn't want him to apologize; he couldn't forgive himself for tearing apart my soul.

"I know," Link exhaled before speaking more, "that this is no excuse, but I was threatened by someone. If I didn't split us up and make you hate me, then the consequences would have resulted in-"

"Your death?" I snapped quickly, making an assumption all too quickly. "Of course I should have assumed that you never were what you claimed. You're a selfish man just like every other man in this world. I was just the girl foolish enough to believe everything you said." My voice was shaking and it scared me. I wanted to turn away from Link's eyes that were now staring at me, but my body was too weak-willed to even turn my head.

There was silence as Link stared into my eyes. It was the silence that you expected when you woke up before the cucco had crowed; that silence that said morning was coming…something new. The hurt in them was greater than before, and he rested one of his hands on my shoulder. "Zelda, I never would hurt you for myself!" He exclaimed. "If I hadn't made you never want to see me again, then they would have killed you, Zelda! My life means very little next to yours. I love you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked forlornly, still unsure as whether to believe the words coming from Link's mouth. He had broken my trust with him completely. I felt more lost now than I ever had. This wasn't what I had gone through this pain for. Wasn't I supposed to learn from this? Wasn't this my chance to make a change? If Link was gone now, I wouldn't have to wonder if he was lying, but as I said, I was weak. This was really my chance to come crawling back.

My eyes closed, wanting to think of something other than the man before me, but suddenly I began to feel warmth against my skin. Two large hands grasped my waist and pulled me up. When I opened my eyes I was standing in front of Link. He was holding me, keeping me up so that my malnourished body wouldn't collapse under my weight. I looked into Link's eyes wearily, wondering what would become of this.

"I never said I was perfect," Link answered, looking me straight in the eye, "I made a mistake, and this time it may have cost more than anything I could possibly pay back. I escaped death to deal with the pain that I put you through. Even if you don't want anything to do with me, I will never regret the decision I made this morning."

"What are you talking about?" The words Link was saying I couldn't comprehend. My arms moved slowly to cover my face. It was then that I realized how shrunken in my face really was. Not even the reflection in the mirror compared to the feel of my skin under my fingers.

Link slowly removed my hands from my face, while still supporting me with one of his strong arms. "Zelda, when I first received my threat, I took immediate action. The first thing that came to my mind was to break you so badly that you'd never ever think of coming back to me. I planned your coming to the servants' chambers with Impa, she was to make sure you found me with that woman. Afterwards, after I left the castle for what I feared may have been for good, I received another message, this time challenging me to a duel. The message also explained that if I turned down the challenge, you would just happen to be a casualty. Of course I went, despite the possibility of a trap, and I searched for five days to find the place I had been informed to go. I finally found it, and there I found the man who had been threatening me.

"He was a man I had never met who claimed to be Ganon's minion. When I saw his eyes the envy in them was unbearable to look at. I had never see a man so lustful for something. He was a beast, and when we fought, that's exactly what it was like; fighting a beast. The worst of it was how he fought. Every time I was about to make a blow, he reminded me of you, and I would fall apart, freezing in my tracks.

"When the battle was finally over, I could barely stand. You were the only thing on my mind; you and the look of hurt in your eyes that I had seen before I left. I decided then that I could end my life for your sake. I figured that would be better for you, because I had already hurt you beyond any help, and I readied my sword to plunge into my own heart. For some reason, I stopped, and decided for the only other possible choice. To confront you, to beg for forgiveness.

"And so I came back to find you in a hysterical heap outside. You looked so horrid, so helpless. At first I was afraid you had left this world, and I actually prepared to kill myself right then. But suddenly you stirred in your sleep. You began whispering my name, and I called for someone to help you. After that, I waited outside of your room as Impa went to pick you up. The words I feared the most, you said. 'I hate Link,' you shouted at Impa. That was when I decided to attempt to be forgiven, even if I would never be allowed to be with you again. I decided that I could face the pain of not being with you, because it couldn't be as bad as it was for you."

Link finished, looking away with me. He looked as if he was preparing for me to call him out of the room. He wore a dejected frown and it hurt as I stared at it. His dirty, blood strewn hair fell in thick strands around his eyes. Although he looked so miserable, so alone, I couldn't help but want the man I was staring at.

Suddenly, I realized that I wasn't breathing. My breath was caught in my throat. I inhaled before I suffocated. Not only had I been suffering with thoughts of suicide, but so hadn't Link, and it was all for my sake. As I moped around my room, sulking and weeping, Link was fighting for my sake. If it wasn't for Link I would probably be dead, too powerless in my weak state to fight back. The plan had been thought out well. Only Ganon would know of such methods to destroy me and Link.

I began to notice that Link's body was warm. It was the warmest I had felt since he left me. It was comforting. I could smell Link's familiar cologne on his bare but bruised chest, and I left my head fall onto his shoulder.

"Zelda?!" Link cried out, lifting my head with his hand. When I looked up to him and smile he let out a relieved sigh. "I thought you had fainted."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, wrapping my arms around Link. My strength was slowly coming back to me as I rested in Link's warm arms.

"About what?" he inquired incredulously. "I'm the one who should be saying sorry!"

I shook my head frantically, wrapping my arms up around Link's neck. "You don't have to," I whispered, "just promise me one thing." I placed my lips against Link's jaw.

"Anything, Princess."

"Don't ever leave me again."

Link's reply was muffled by my lips. I pressed further into his lips, standing on the very tips of my wobbly toes to kiss him. The warmth of his mouth felt more wonderful than anything I had felt in days. His hands combed through my still damp hair, and I smiled into our kiss.

"I love you, Zelda," Link murmured through our kiss.

"Link," I breathed, "I love you more than the world."

Just as I finished my sentence I heard a cucco crow from outside my room. I opened my eyes, looking out of the clear glass window and saw the sun rising over Death Mountain. The orange-pink sky reminded me of the new day coming for us. In the sky I replayed Link's promise in my mind. Thank goddesses for being merciful to my sorry soul. Thank goddesses for bringing my Link back to me. I was going to survive the silence before the cucco's crow.

**A/N:**

**Haha, I know. That was horrible.  
****Yeah, go ahead and tell me anyway, I'm prepared, lol. Really, I would appreciate it so much if you'd leave a review. PLEASE. I'm begging. I need to know what you think of this.**

**Anyway, to anyone who is reading "The Blue-Eyed Beast", the next chapter won't be out for awhile. I've been busy and dealing with writer's block until I wrote this story. I also have a writing project due in a week, so I'm going to be working hard on that.**

**Please forgive me for being slow and bad at updating. :P**

**Well, that's it. I hope to hear from you all soon.**

**Serene-Moon-Princess**


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